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BS: US bird visits London

29 Mar 06 - 08:35 AM (#1705552)
Subject: BS: US bird visits London
From: Arnie

Just read today that an American robin (unlikely Latin name Turdus migratorius)has taken up residence in Peckham, South London! It seems to have been blown a bit off course whilst migrating from Canada to the States. Now these may be common birds in the States, but are rarely seen in the UK and this one has the twitchers twitching like never before. Unfortunately, it is destined to spend the rest of it's days on this side of the pond as it cannot recross the Atlantic against the prevailing winds. It's already being harassed by the local blackbirds who seem to have a bit of an anti-American attitude. As it's arrived alone, it will never have a mate and must be a bit homesick by now - our worms probably just do not taste the same as the ones back home! Perhaps some visiting US Mudcatter would like to take it back in their luggage?


29 Mar 06 - 08:54 AM (#1705568)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Paco Rabanne

gas mark 6, 20 minutes a pound.


29 Mar 06 - 08:58 AM (#1705575)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: beardedbruce

"It's already being harassed by the local blackbirds who seem to have a bit of an anti-American attitude."


29 Mar 06 - 09:19 AM (#1705588)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Jim Dixon

Maybe we should send you another one so they can happily reproduce. Maybe you'll like them as much as you like American gray squirrels.


29 Mar 06 - 09:36 AM (#1705598)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: MMario

blackbirds harass them on this side of the pond too.


29 Mar 06 - 10:28 AM (#1705646)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: GUEST,Dazbo

Just show it Mary Poppins if it's lonely. That's got American robins in it rather than proper robins.


29 Mar 06 - 10:29 AM (#1705648)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: The Shambles

Those are different blackbirds altogether. In fact the American Robin in build and in the similar niche it occupies - IS a European Blackbird.


29 Mar 06 - 10:59 AM (#1705668)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Ebbie

Is a blackbird a thrush? It is my understanding that the American robin is a thrush.

In fact, the varied thrush looks like a gussied-up, going-out-on-the town robin.


29 Mar 06 - 11:07 AM (#1705676)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: John MacKenzie

Could it not walk to Missouri?
G.


29 Mar 06 - 11:08 AM (#1705678)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: The Shambles

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/b/blackbird/index.asp


29 Mar 06 - 02:31 PM (#1705854)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: GUEST

Del boy will sell it.


29 Mar 06 - 02:47 PM (#1705874)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Peace

"I was listening to the six o'clock newscast
When the weatherman mentioned snow
Soon as I heard that four-letter word
I was packin' my bags to go
I'd rather be in sunny Spain
I ain't got no dough
But I'd build a bridge and walk there
To get away from all this snow"

(Hope I haven't pooched Jesse's lyrics.)


29 Mar 06 - 02:47 PM (#1705875)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Ebbie

Incidentally, the blackbird doesn't appear in southeast Alaska. I don't know whether it does farther north.

In Oregon's Willamette Valley the blackbird is probably the most ubiquitous bird. It frequently nests in the tall grasses alongside driveways and it is aggressively territorial. Many a human has been divebombed those little birds.


29 Mar 06 - 03:30 PM (#1705905)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: gnu

Aw. What a shame. They are quite entertaining to watch. A mating pair can defend a nest rather well, putting the run on much larger birds.

Better keep an eye on it though... it might be a forward scout.


29 Mar 06 - 04:02 PM (#1705946)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Janie

Ebbie--I think that may be a different bird. Looking at bird ID sites, the blackbird Shambles has noted appears to be a European bird.

Janie


29 Mar 06 - 04:09 PM (#1705949)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: MMario

the American Robin and the European Blackbird are both 'Turdus' species...


29 Mar 06 - 04:42 PM (#1705970)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: JohnInKansas

One of our "local boys" just flew a light airplane non-stop and unrefueled 1.3 x around the globe. The trade winds must be good enough that maybe this voyager will show up somewhere in China next. If they'll let him re-emigrate, he could make it back West-to-East from the East eventually. If Robins live that long??????

Does he need a Visa to leave?

John


29 Mar 06 - 04:49 PM (#1705974)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Becca72

Batman will be along directly.


29 Mar 06 - 05:46 PM (#1706042)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: The Shambles

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i4980id.html


29 Mar 06 - 09:42 PM (#1706168)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: GUEST,Art Thieme

I'm surprised at you. You all have missed the point completely...

Robin is looking for Sherwood!!! He'll be right at home there.

Art Thieme


30 Mar 06 - 01:58 AM (#1706304)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Georgiansilver

I thought this might have been a 'Joan Rivers' thread.


30 Mar 06 - 02:02 AM (#1706305)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: The Shambles

Look!

The big thrush that those in North America call a Robin - is not a Robin at all. Even the current visitor carries a quiver full of arrows or wears tights and a mask - it is NOT a Robin.

This is what a Robin looks like


30 Mar 06 - 02:04 AM (#1706306)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Big Al Whittle

why can't it breed with the locals - is it frigid or something? the GI's had no trouble.


30 Mar 06 - 06:48 AM (#1706440)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Arnie

Apparently the reason this thrush-like visitor to Peckham is called a robin, is because the Pilgrim fathers, or some such early US settlers were feeling homesick. In an attempt to make their new country feel a bit more like home, they named the first red-breasted bird they saw a robin. It's not related in any way, shape or form to the European robin but I suppose it made a good subsitute. Are there any European robins (Erithacus rubecula)in the US?? Looks like the US and UK blackbird are also two entirely different species - the one thing they have in common is a tendency to attack the American robin!!


30 Mar 06 - 08:25 AM (#1706497)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Dave the Gnome

The only latin name I can remember for any bird is Troglodytes Troglodytes.

The American name for the Tit is the Chickadee.

Blackbirds and Robins throw their young out of their nests before they can fly and we have to stop out cat eating them. 2 of the stupid animals have drowned themselves in flower pots:-(

Here ends the sum of the Gnomes useless facts about birds.

Cheers

DtG


30 Mar 06 - 09:12 AM (#1706543)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: GUEST,Van

"The American name for the Tit is the Chickadee." That probably explains why they didn't make Carry On films. A fine pair of chickadees doesn't have the same ring to it, or does it?


31 Mar 06 - 12:08 AM (#1707231)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: GUEST,Art Thieme

It is time to make a clean breast of it...

(art)


31 Mar 06 - 12:10 AM (#1707236)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: Once Famous

Arne, is your acne acting up again?


31 Mar 06 - 12:18 PM (#1707623)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: GUEST

This is what happened to last American Robin to visit here

yum yum


31 Mar 06 - 02:09 PM (#1707703)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: BobtheBirder

The last American Robin to visit Britain was on the Pyewipe Industrial Estate in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. It lasted for several weeks having been kindly fed apples etc. It's demise was by was of a Sparrowhawk. Many of the bird vagrants to Britain, being of a colourful nature, are sadly taken by raptors of various types, but most frequently by cats - bless them - always too quick for me to kick them!

This is the third American Robin to reach our shores in the last 2 years - the first one being in Cornwall.

And to reiterate many before me - no this bird is not like OUR ROBIN in any way shape or form - other than it is covered in feathers of course - providing the cat hasn't played with it first!


31 Mar 06 - 03:57 PM (#1707788)
Subject: RE: BS: US bird visits London
From: McGrath of Harlow

American Robin

European Robin

Not much chance of confusing them really.

In these days of bird-flu panics I don't imagine the poor little bugger would have a chance of making it alive through customs going back home.